How to convert a disused Church into a Home

I came across this article in the FT Weekend House and Home a fortnight ago. It is about buying disused Church of England churches and turning them into residential homes.

I don’t think that I can ever live in a converted Church. I know it will be deconsecrated but…. I will feel sad at every reminder that this used to be a house of worship.

However, some who live in converted Churches say that they feel very safe in a converted Church as they are quite certain that no one would have died in the Church and so it will not be spooky!

According to the article, you can find a list of buildings that are for sale on the Church of England website itself as well as respective estate agents.

If you are a lover of church buildings, then maybe it is time for you to trawl the Church of England website to find your dream home!

Electric Blanket Malfunction

We have a Morphy Richards electric blanket that is 16 years old. I still remember buying it in John Lewis in Glasgow. It is a dual control electric blanket that can be kept on all night.

After church on Sunday, I desperately needed thawing out and so turned on my trusty electric blanket. After my second shower of the day (Covid precaution), when I jumped into bed, my side of the bed was still cold. Mmmm….. there was no light on the electric blanket either. However, the Mhinisteir’s side of the electric blanket is working perfectly fine.

It has been miserable for almost a week now with heavy rain and strong wind. It is certainly not ideal to do without the electric blanket.

Now the dilemma is this, do we get a new electric blanket when one side of the electric blanket is still working???!!!!

The Mhinisteir is adamant that we should buy one right away but I’ve decided to take a few days before deciding to buy a new one as I am always hoping for miracles!

(Almost!) A Victim of Scam

Last Friday evening, we had an early dinner in order to watch the live service from the Cathedral. As I was getting myself ready to watch, I noticed that there was a text message on my mobile phone. I hardly use my mobile phone so was quite surprised to receive a text.

The text was from Paypal. It said that there are some ongoing issues with my account and to click on the link provided in order to avoid restrictions on my account. I do have a PayPal account so decided to login to my PayPal account and see that all was well and thankfully it appeared so.

I did a google search to see if any one else had trouble like this and that was when I discovered that this was most definitely a scam! After reading that, I was a little shaken. Just the thought that one can be so easily deceived sent a shiver down my spine.

I am one of these pay as you go people where you top up your mobile phone credit as and when you need to. My phone is old and for security reasons, I never use the internet on my phone. I am a dinosaur in the mobile phone front but on this occasion I am proud to be a dinosaur as that prevented me from clicking the link from my phone!

Wheelie Bin Tales

I have lived in many different parts of the United Kingdom with very contrasting wheelie bin policies that it can get confusing.

In our current location, we have one slimline black bin and 4 huge green bins! Until recently, I hadn’t realised that we needed another bin of a different colour for our garden waste. What? I didn’t know about it earlier because our former gardener took away the garden waste for £10 per bag! Usually he will fill at least 2 bags! Heaven alone knows if it was just all our garden waste!!!!!

I got in touch with the council for a garden waste bin but was told that I had to pay just under £60 for a garden waste bin. In my previous locations, I never had to pay for garden waste.

Since we have a new gardener, I decided to go ahead and order a garden waste bin.

In another news, yesterday was the first time our wheelie bins were due to get professionally cleaned. I had so much trouble finding someone to do it. In the city, we had a man who came and did all the cleaning inside his van.

Anyway, the people came to wash but it turned into a mini drama as we couldn’t find the valve to turn on the tap outside and so the cleaning didn’t happen! Ah nice! (just like how Hyacinth Bucket’s brother-in-law, Onslow would have said!!!!)

Witch Hunt

I was really pleased to read that the Dean of Christ Church has been cleared of all safeguarding charges.

I knew that there was an investigation going on but after reading the Private Eye it sounded more of a witch hunt.

I don’t know the Dean of Christ Church personally and I am not even sure that I will see eye to eye with this person but this is not the way to treat people.

Once again thanks to the Private Eye for investigating, the same way they brought the Post Office Scandal to light.

Supermarkets Bags Policy

I got my Waitrose delivery yesterday afternoon. My main shopping delivery is from Tesco but I use Waitrose for luxury items as such as Booja Booja Vegan Ice Cream!

I was excited about my Waitrose delivery because they were to come in shopping bags. Yes, I am for plastic bags because it is cumbersome to collect your shopping without the bags.

Where am I to leave the groceries? I usually just dump mine in the vestibule while the delivery person twiddles their thumb. For health reasons, it is doubly difficult for me. The Mhinisteir helps me when he can but yesterday he was in a zoom meeting which means I was on my own.

The Waitrose delivery came on time but without the bags! According to the driver, the rules changed on Sunday so you have to opt for bags when you order and pay 40p. I don’t mind paying but when I ordered they had promised me bags.

The same happened with my Tesco delivery twice in the last 6 weeks. I got an email and a text message to remind me to opt for bags should I need them but there were no bags in sight when the delivery came. When the Mhinisteir asked the delivery person he was told that they had run out of bags!!!!!

I do care about the environment but I would like my bags too. I would prefer paper bags to plastic as they are more environmentally friendly.

I am very happy to pay for the bags but please just give us the choice instead of deciding for us!

The Royal Mole

According to the mole catcher, he thinks that there is only ONE mole in the garden. I am calling it the Royal Mole because we have just paid a whopping £70 to get rid of it. Ouch!

From the Vicarage Library | The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane

I bought this book for a pound at a Charity shop on Monday 23 March 2020,the day when the National lockdown was announced by the Prime Minister. 6 months later, we are still in some kind of a lockdown with news today that the rules are being tightened as the number of Covid infection cases rises again.

Anyway, back to the Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane. I would describe this as a rom com version of a book. A book one would read when you are having a bad day! The main character, Roxanne, a 46 year old fashion director from London goes back to her home village in Yorkshire to nurse a broken heart.

I usually don’t go for books like this. I like cosy murder mysteries like the Agatha Raisin series by MC Beaton. I also like books by Alexander McCall Smith. I was only attracted to this book because of its colourful cover! How wrong can you go for a pound?

I read the book for the second time last week!

Mole Catcher, Moles & Jeyes Fluid

Regrettably, we have engaged the services of pest control aka mole catcher for the molehills are beginning to multiply. Additional expenses but needs must.

One of our older parishioners swears by Jeyes Fluid to tackle moles!!!!! According to him, he “injects” Jeyes Fluid into the ground and that acts as a deterrent!!!!! I think I’ll stick with the professionals:)

Michaelmas Daisies

I got a lovely surprise on Sunday. Just before I went into Church, One of our oldest parishioners handed me a bunch of Michaelmas Daisies from her garden.

That sweet gesture made my day!